How to Change Your Baby’s Diaper in Public

You realize that you need to change the baby’s diaper and it can’t wait until you get back to the car. But you are shopping at the store with your adorable baby in the shopping cart. You are going to have to change the diaper in the public restroom. Those fold-up diaper changing stations are notoriously out of paper covers. Who knows what sanitary procedures, if any, have been used on that surface. What can you do to protect your baby from contracting germs during a routine diaper change? How can you prevent other patrons from smelling your baby’s diaper?

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• baby
• diaper
• plastic bag
• changing surface
• paper or disposable diaper changing pad

1. If there is a paper cover or pad available, or you carry your own disposable pad, place it on the surface first before beginning the diaper change. If not, use paper towel, or as a last resort overlap several long strips of toilet paper. If you have a reusable changing pad in your diaper bag place that on top of the paper.

2. Lay the baby on the now padded changing surface. Remove the baby’s outer clothing from the waist down.

3. Before you open the used diaper, open a new, fresh diaper and place it in the correct position to put it on the baby, under the old diaper.

4. Get a couple of diaper wipes out and ready. Now, open the old diaper. If the baby had a bowel movement use the front portion of the used diaper to wipe as much of the BM, off from the buttocks as possible.

5. Wrap the diaper into a ball with the urine or BM on the inside of the ball of course. Set it off to the side.

6. Thoroughly clean the baby’s genitalia with the wipes. Remember to start in the front and wipe towards the back, especially if the baby is a girl to reduce yeast infections.

7. Now put the new diaper, that is already in place, on the baby and fasten both sides. The baby’s buttocks never touched the surface. If there was BM, you don’t have to worry about wiping down your reusable changing pad or the changing station. Put on the baby’s clothes.

8. Place the used diaper in a sandwich bag, empty bread bag, or empty newspaper plastic sleeve. Tie the bag top into a knot or zip the baggy and throw the diaper away without stinking up the public restroom. If you don’t have a bag, wrap it thoroughly in the paper you are disposing of before tossing it in the garbage can.

Tips & Warnings

• Recycle those bread and newspaper bags. Place a few empty bags in your baby’s diaper bag to place dirty diapers in before discarding them in public. Nobody will ever know there is a dirty diaper in the trash. Some pediatric offices make you take your dirty diapers with you so you don’t stink up the exam rooms. Who wants a dirty diaper in their purse or diaper bag that isn’t enclosed in some kind of plastic? It’s a great way to recycle and a real courtesy to other patrons.
• Don't let baby play with the plastic bag.

Resources

• How to Prepare a Baby Bottle in Public
• How to adopt a domestic newborn as fast as possible?
• Foster care and adoption advice
• How to Cut Your Own Children's Hair to Save Money
• How to help an infant with pediatric gerd

[dceclint]

on 8/15/2008 Good advice.

[Fuller1972]

on 7/14/2008 Hi Jenci4, thanks for reading and commenting. If you use the top front of the diaper, the part that was by the baby's belly button, and wipe from the front towards the back, like all girls should, then you won't risk infection. That part of the diaper should be clean. The only exception would be a severe case of diarhea when bm is coming out all over the place. Then, a bath is probably in order anyway. Of the 30+ babies I have raised or helped to raise, not have gotten a UTI or even a diaper rash.

[Jenci4]

on 7/13/2008 If the baby is a girl, using the old diaper to wipe as much poo off as possible might result in a Urinary tract infection. It is always a good idea to just suck it up and use the extra wipes!

[oneloved]

on 6/18/2008 Good tips!

[oneloved]

on 6/18/2008 Good tips!